The safari guide is arguably the most important part of the whole safari experience. Get a great guide and you’ll have an incredible time – regardless of the wildlife, the weather or the lodge. Here’s why they are so important.
Having a good guide or ranger is not only important for making guests feel safe. A great guide will genuinely keep guests safe by knowing how to interpret animal signals. This is particularly important when on foot, especially if you unexpectedly encounter a potentially aggressive animal, such as a black rhino or buffalo. As well as theoretical knowledge, experience is very important in these situations.
Guides, including safari, field or nature guides, as the name suggests, guide guests through nature, whether by vehicle, canoe, horseback or on foot. It is a guide’s job to explain some of the remarkable secrets hidden within the natural environment, and to act as a link between the guests and nature.
They’ll also know how to drive safely and responsibly, reducing the likelihood of getting stuck – though sometimes it’s unavoidable, even for the best drivers! When it does, at least they’ll know how to quickly fix the problem and not panic guests.
Myself and all the guides i work with have been been certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association (KPSGA) and have been leading similar photo tours for years, tracking the animals day after day and year after year. But most of all, it’s his passion for African wildlife and photography that can truly make the difference on your safari. This job is his life, his dream come true, so you can be guaranteed that he will give all of himself on any safari to ensure that guests leave with extraordinary images and memories of the fantastic places you’ll visit.
When more than one vehicle are required, we seek the services of very good local guides, certified by the KPSGA, and who are used to working with photographers, recognising the needs and requirements that this entails. Paul Kirui will be on one of the two vehicles, so in any case he will set the times, the pace and the approach for the safari.
There is a strict national regulations which do not allow a non Tanzanian citizen to drive guests. In this case will seat on the passenger’s seat, next to the driver, instructing him on positioning, approach, timings etc.
